CINCINNATI, Ohio -- Pitching coach Bryan Price was first on the Reds list of manager candidates. Three hours of answering every question tossed his way ended their search rather quickly. After one interview, it was over. The Reds stayed in-house for their next manager, giving Price a three-year deal Tuesday that came with expectations that hell take them deep into the playoffs right away. "Bryan is exceptional," owner Bob Castellini said. "Weve been fortunate to be with him long enough to know how exceptional he is. "I cant tell you how well this has fit in for us. We did not have to go out and do a search," he said. "We had the person we felt could take this team deep into the post-season and then some." Dusty Baker led the Reds to three 90-win seasons and three playoff appearances in the last four years, their best stretch of success since Sparky Anderson managed the Big Red Machine in the 1970s. But Cincinnati got knocked out in the first round of the post-season each time. The Reds fired Baker with a year left on his two-year deal after a final-week fade that included an implosion by the pitching staff. Cincinnati lost its last six games, including a 6-2 defeat at PNC Park in the wild-card playoff against the Pirates. General manager Walt Jocketty said the closing slump was a major factor in the decision to make a change. Jocketty considered two in-house candidates: Price and Triple-A manager Jim Riggleman. Price got the first interview and impressed everyone so much that Jocketty didnt interview anyone else. "I was convinced that Bryan was our guy just because of the past association weve had with him," Jocketty said. "I think that to bring other people in just for the process of going through an interview -- to me, I wouldnt want that." The job carries enormous expectations for the 51-year-old Price, who has been one of the most successful pitching coaches in the majors but has never managed at any level. He interviewed for the Marlins job last year, which got him thinking that hed like to be a manager some day. Given his four successful seasons in Cincinnati, he wanted to stay if possible. "Its a team thats capable of doing even more," Price said. "I think we certainly should talk very optimistically about the three playoff appearances in the last four years, which were maybe somewhat discredited because we hadnt gotten past the first round. "Considering the 15 years prior, it was definitely a huge step in the right direction," Price added. "But we all have expectations of getting beyond that." Price was a left-handed pitcher for six years in the minors, his career scuttled by elbow surgery. He started his coaching career in Seattles farm system and was the Mariners pitching coach from 2000-05. He moved to Arizona as pitching coach from 2006-09, resigning there after Bob Melvin was replaced. Jocketty hired him to replace Dick Pole in Cincinnati, where he helped the Reds staff develop into one of the NLs best during his four seasons working with Baker. Now, Jocketty has several important lineup decisions to make to try to keep the Reds competitive in the NL Central, which sent three teams to the playoffs. Division champion St. Louis opens the World Series against Boston on Wednesday. The Pirates passed the Reds for second place and home-field advantage for the wild-card playoff during the final week of the season. The pitching staff will have some changes, with starter Bronson Arroyo eligible for free agency. Left-hander Tony Cingrani made his debut last season and showed he could win in the majors, but was sidelined by back problems in September. Ace Johnny Cueto missed most of the season with shoulder problems. The Reds have to decide whether to keep left-hander Aroldis Chapman as their closer or move him into a starting role. Price would have preferred making him a starter. If he gets moved into the rotation, the Reds dont have anyone with appreciable experience at closing games. He and Jocketty said they hadnt made any decisions on the pitching staff or the everyday lineup. The offence struggled last season with no consistent right-handed hitter. Cleanup hitter Ryan Ludwick tore cartilage in his right shoulder on a slide on opening day and missed most of the season. He returned in mid-August and hit only two homers with the shoulder still bothering him. Joey Votto and leadoff hitter Shin-Soo Choo led the NL in on-base percentage, but Choo is a free agent. Billy Hamilton created a sensation with his speed when he was called up in September, but struggled to get on base consistently in Triple-A before his first promotion to the majors. Nick Chubb Jersey .com) - Guess whos back, back again? Josh Gordons back, tell a friend. Austin Corbett Jersey . 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He has a phone hearing with the department of player safety, which limits any potential suspension to five or fewer games.LOS ANGELES, Calif. - The Los Angeles Kings waived Mike Richards on Monday, finally shaking up their relationship with the veteran centre who has lost his scoring touch. A member of Cup-winning teams with the Kings in both 2012 and last season, Richards is in the seventh year of a 12-year deal that comes with an annual cap hit of $5.75 million per season. Hes being paid $7 million this season, with $6 million, $5.5 million, $4.5 million, $3 million and $3 million in each year. If Richards clears waivers and is sent to Manchester of the American Hockey League, $925,000 of his $5.75 million cap hit comes off the Kings cap and Richards would represent $4.825 million of dead cap space. I dont expect him to get picked up on waivers, Kings general manager Dean Lombardi told TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun on Monday. But, theres still time here. He knows what he has to do. That part I am not questioning. The way the schedule is down there, it allows him to get his innings in and conceivably he could be back here. Thats the way were approaching this. Thats the short term. On the long term, he could be a different player. If you remember when Teemu Selanne when he went to Colorado it looked like he was done. He looked done. But all of sudden things changed. He went on for a longer career. Theyre different players but I see no reason why this cant happen here, either. Richards has been a key part of the Kings two Stanley Cup championship teams in the past three seasons, playing a responsible two-way role and providing leadership. But his plummeting offensive production hasnt matched his exorbitant contract for years in Los Angeles, which acquired him from Philadelphia in 2011. Richards, who turns 30 next month, has only five goals and 10 assists in 47 games with Los Angeles this season. He has a minus-7 rating and has won only 48 per cent of his faceoffs while playing on a depth line with thee Kings — not the numbers expected of a player with a $5.dddddddddddd75 million annual salary cap hit for the next six seasons. Los Angeles coach Darryl Sutter and general manager Dean Lombardi have ardently defended Richards and his declining offence in recent years, but Lombardi finally made the move long anticipated by Kings fans after apparently trying to trade Richards in recent weeks. Richards scored 89 goals over three seasons with the Flyers from 2007-10, and the club signed him to a 12-year, $69 million contract extension in December 2007. The Kings traded Wayne Simmonds and Brayden Schenn for Richards when Philadelphia general manager Paul Holmgren decided to break up his core by trading his captain and goal-scorer Jeff Carter, who ended up being reunited with Richards in Los Angeles several months later. Richards contract still runs through 2020. His scoring production has dropped every year since 2010, down to just 11 goals last season. The Kings missed an opportunity to use a compliance buyout on Richards over the summer. The Kenora, Ont., native became the first hockey player to win Olympic gold, world-junior gold, the Memorial Cup and Stanley Cup. He was part of the 2010 Canadian Olympic team that won gold in Vancouver. In 704 career NHL games, Richards has 133 goals and 216 assists. His career high in points was 80, back in 2008-09 with the Flyers. The Kings payroll already has been squeezed this season by the suspension of defenceman Slava Voynov. If Richards clears waivers and gets sent to the AHL, the Kings would clear $925,000 in cap space. The defending Stanley Cup champions are in need of a lineup spark after hitting the All-Star break in ninth place in the Western Conference. Los Angeles slumped into the break, losing four straight and seven of eight. Los Angeles is likely to recall youngster Nick Shore to take Richards roster spot. China NFL Jerseys White Cheap NFL Gear Cheap Jerseys 2019 Youth NFL Jerseys China Wholesale Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys Wholesale Youth NFL Jerseys China ' ' '